Pray We Stop Something

Sorry, I'm having a cynical day today. Please excuse this post in advance.

Detroit News: Crowd prays to heal Detroit's economy

I'll never understand stuff like this. What exactly are these people hoping God will do? Magically create money out of nowhere? Remove voter free will and cause a majority to elect non-corrupt officals? Or remove free will from investors so that they pour money into Detroit related projects even if that isn't the best use for the money?

If you're going to pray, at least pray for things where God isn't removing our abilty to make decisions, OK?

Parents and God

It finally happened today. I was talking to my Mom and for whatever reason, the subject came up of whether I believe in God.

Ah crap...

I told that I'm just not sure. Even that (which is probably widely optimistic in describing my outlook) caused my Mom to pause for several seconds before laying down the "you know you won't be going to heaven if you don't believe" speech.

Ah crap...

I don't know where I am. But I do know that people who are SO DAMN SURE make me uncomfortable. Maybe because I'm jealous. Maybe because I question how anyone can be so sure of something like that. Maybe because I used to be that person.

BAH...

I protest!

Detroit Free Press - Racy Green Oak mall displays stir up protests

Saw this on the news the other day and I just had to say something. I live within ten minutes of the mall mentioned in this article, so it caught my attention when a group of folks from one of the local churchs started protesting the display in the window of the mall's Victoria Secret.

I don't understand the concept of protesting against underwear displays. You seem to be implying that underwear of and by itself is somehow evil. Aren't you sort of giving the impression to young impressionable girls that they should avoid underwear altogether? Hey, if that is your message I'm all for it:) Maybe I'll show up this weekend with a big sign that reads, "Looking at underwear may make you sin. Avoid the temptation and don't wear any!" I bet the ladies from Holy Spirit would love that:)

Moreover, I don't understand what the big deal is about seeing women's underwear on a mannequin. Did someone walk by the store and think, "Oh my God look! You can see all the way to that mannequin's mold seam. Someone should do something about that!"

Trying to link seeing underwear in a store window with women's dignity is insane. Hey! If you want to wear granny panties all the time, that's your choice. Don't ruin it for the rest of us!

And the stupidity just keeps on coming...

CNN: Mixed reaction to Cheney's daughter's pregnancy

For those unaware, the Vice President's daughter Mary Cheney announced Wednesday that she is pregnant. Normally that would be a huge press opportunity, with the expectant mother brought out into the Rose Garden so everyone can comment on her "glow" (whatever the f#%k that is. The only people I've ever seen glow are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and congratulate her for being so fertile and all that, not to mention trip over themselves telling the VP how to clean up baby spit-up off a Halliburton tie. What a wonderful picture...

Sadly, it's not to be. You see, the vice presidents daughter is...<looks around to make sure no one is listening and whispers>....gay.

That's right. A lesbian. A lesbo. A carpet-licker if you will.

So what would normally be an event that the press and white house would be positively wetting themselves over is now something that moral conservatives can comment on so they can appear even more heartless than usual. And as is always the case whenever anyone tries to defend why exactly gay couples shouldn't be allowed to love and marry like us straight folk, they resort to some truly horrible logic:

Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America described the pregnancy as "unconscionable" and said "It's very disappointing that a celebrity couple like this would deliberately bring into the world a child that will never have a father. They are encouraging people who don't have the advantages they have."

I see. So if you are a gay couple with connections and money, we don't think you getting pregnant is an issue. We are just concerned that you might convince some poorer, less connected lesbians to follow in your footsteps. We can't have that! Ah...right...

Focus on the Family's Carrie Gordon Earll had this gem to share: "Just because you can conceive a child outside a one-woman, one-man marriage doesn't mean it's a good idea. Love can't replace a mother and a father."

That's your logic? If you have to choose between two people being in love raising a child and two people who don't love each other but happen to have a different number of orifices, you would go with option B? Cause that's the way I read that sentence. I know I haven't been on this planet all that long, but I saw enough truly horrible parenting growing up that I know that simply putting a penis and vagina in the same house does not result in well-adjusted, happy children.

Wow actual comments.

This is why people should talk in person. Typing does not show inflection or emotion. Thank you all for your comments, I really enjoy when people take the time to express their own thoughts. That is how people learn.

On that note, you all misread my blog. I am a nurse first and foremost and I most certainly would not deny anyone any care for any reason. I may think differently and may not agree but I still give the highest standard of care. I made that oath when I got into it. In the beginning of the last blog I stated that my job is challenging as far as ethics goes and there never is a right and wrong answer and that is why I love what I do! It is not easy saving lives and it really sucks when you know you can save someone and they won't let you, especially when you have patients down the hall that you have worked so hard to save to no avail. Nursing is challenging because it is very emotionally charged work but you cannot get too involved with each case because you would go crazy. I deal with death every single day! It can be really hard to watch people die constantly, feeling absolutely helpless sometimes, even with all of the technology you have at your fingertips. I constantly meet new people and learn about all kinds of cultures and religions. I do not have to believe and like every single one of them and I do not have to understand them. Every time a person dies I stop for a moment and silently shed a tear for that loss but then I have to move on and deal with the ones still living because they need me.

I do not believe I wrote about a double standard. Blood transfusions are not a technology and we do not consider it as such. They have done that since the 1800's. That is like fluid in hospitals. It is a natural medicine. And there is a big difference between 1)getting a blood transfusion to save your life with little or no side effects and a great life and 2)having a ventilator and manufactured, unnatural medicine to keep your heart and blood pressure going and not being able to move any of your extremities. With these comments aren't you carrying the double edged sword? Once again, the first example was being kept alive against her wishes since the daugher was calling the shots. The second lady was doing everything she wanted which is fine. My point was why even have a surgery at all that more than likely will require a large blood transfusion and go through all of that if you will not have the transfusions? Why even use medicine at all? Why is using anesthetic, scapels, ventilators (all manufactured, unnatural things) acceptable and yet the most natural thing BLOOD is not accepted? I just do not get it and I do not understand why Jehovah's witnesses believe this. I am not religious that is who I am.

I am not religious. That is my right. It does not mean I am a bad person. I think rationally first and that is just how I am programmed. It also does not mean that I will hate you because of your religion. I have had friends that were Jehovah's witnesses, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. I like learning about all of them. I just wonder with so many ones out there, how come some people think there's is the best and only? Religion just seems to bring out the worst in people some times and they do not think with their brain. How many wars have there been with religion as the cause? How many people have died just because someone thought they had the wrong religion and killed them?

What does my vehicle have to do with this? This was a religious topic!! I bought a car with my beliefs! Deal. It looks good and I like Ford, I am a Michigander what is wrong with that? Mustangs look good and we do not drive it everyday anyway. For 6 months it will sit in the garage since it is not a snow car. It is a fun car. We work hard and earned it. The Mustang is an icon and we wanted to own one for the historical value and the hotness. Get over it. I will never own a foreign car! In Michigan that is just what you believe.

Ethics in the workplace

Hello all. My new job has been going great and I love it but it does challenge me and my ethical beliefs constantly and it makes me a better person. A university hospital is very technologically advanced and sometimes this technology saves lives but sometimes it seems like why are we keeping this person alive with this technology. We had one lady that was in the ICU for 4 months and she did not want any of what we were doing and the nurses knew it but the one daughter of hers that had the power of attorney wanted to do whatever possible to keep her alive due to guilt on her part. Last week the family finally decided enough was enough after 2 months of convincing by the medical team. They drove her home to die. We were thrilled since we knew that was what the patient wanted. That kind of thing happens everyday, when is enough, enough?

Last week though there was a situation that just angered me. I was not the nurse but the patient was near to where I was working that day. It was a woman in her 40's to 50's who had her spleen removed, a very routine surgery that most people recover from very quickly. The thing is that it is a bloody surgery so you usually loose a good amount and so you need several units of blood reinfused via donation. Her surgery went well but she did loose a substantial amount of blood. The kicker was that she was a Jehovah's witness and refused any blood transfusions period. We gave her all the blood that she had donated prior to the surgery which was not much and we gave her all of the non-blood products we could to give her volume but to no use. About 2 hours after she got out of surgery her blood pressure and heart rate just kept falling and she died. How dumb is that? She would have easily lived with a couple of units of blood. You just cannot manufacture something as good as human blood. It just made me angry that someone let there religious beliefs kill them like that. Religion is not worth your own life. I wish people would realize this. I would not have been able to take care of this lady because I would want to be yelling at her and saying why are you so damn stupid even though she was unconscious and on good drugs. Unfortunately you cannot change people's beliefs no matter how farfetched they are. Jehovah's witness is one of the religions I will never understand. After she died I just thought: What a waste of time and resources on our parts. She had a $20,000 surgery for no reason basically. I wish she would have weighed the goods and bads and would have not had the surgery to begin with. I really hate how religion runs people's lives sometimes. It is all fake people and you are just using it as a crutch so as to not face your real life and problems!! Get over it!

Update: Of course I would never ever say this to a patient but I would be thinking it. I would give every patient I have the very best care regardless of their color religion or beliefs.

Update: As a nurse you have to know your boundries and what you believe and sometimes you have to take yourself out of the situations where you have a strong belief. That was the point of this blog. Nursing is hard and there are a lot of big issues that arise.

Way of the Master

Kirk Cameron...what the heck are you thinking?

http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

Listening to these two prattle on really makes me wonder how the human race even survived this long. Each of the three videos annoy me in different ways (at least the first few minutes anyways. I couldn't make it all the way through any of them):

1) Ah, the classic neo-conservative fear tactic: "You and all your family members, friends, and coworkers are all going to burn in hell unless you do what we say is the ONE TRUE FAITH!"

2) Summary: "Hi, I'm Kirk Cameron. I'm an actor with no background in science, but I can claim with 100% certainity why intellegent design is right and evolution is completely wrong." Just STFU and get back to doing what you do best: sappy, over the top sitcoms.

3)I think this one may in fact be the worst of them all. Summary: "Logic and reason prevent you from believing. If you are using them in your life, then you are clearly living in sin and you are going to die". I don't think I even need a punch line for this one, do I?

I have no problem with faith. Really, I don't. I think its greater that you can look at something and see something higher. That part I'm fine with. Its this whole "My god is the right one and everyone else is going to Hell if they don't follow the exact rules my God laid out. Your life would be just perfect if only you see that" bull that I immediately rejcet.

Sigh...Where's that bottle of 151 again?? I need to get intoxicated to get the taste of this out of my mouth.

Prayer Not So Useful

From MSNBC: Power of prayer flunks an unusual test.

Apparently, not only does prayer not help reduce problems after heart surgery, God actually smites people who know others are praying for them slightly more often:)

From the article:

"The study looked for any complications within 30 days of the surgery. Results showed no effect of prayer on complication-free recovery. But 59 percent of the patients who knew they were being prayed for developed a complication, versus 52 percent of those who were told it was just a possibility."

I'm not entirely sure why God would punish those who actually knew that others were praying for them. Perhaps because he wants them to pray on their own and not outsource it to others. Perhaps he just likes the bitter irony. I know I do:)

What I do know is that we have a definite decision in round 489,954,543,543 of the Science v. God fight. Hands down this round goes to Science.